HARTFORD, CT.- A new exhibition featuring the works of contemporary artists entitled, High Water Marks: Art & Renewal After Katrina, opened at The Amistad Center for Art & Culture at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The exhibition explores the legacy of Black artisans in New Orleans and the achievements of a range of artists who have documented the city's devastation and are committed to the city's recovery. High Water Marks is on view from May 1- September 19, 2010.

The exhibition consists of thirty –one works, photographs, mixed-media and installation pieces, many by artists who have a connection to New Orleans. It includes material from The Amistad Center’s collection such as a 1915 post card of a Praline Seller; 19th century works such as the lithograph of John James Audubon by New Orleans- based artist, Jules Lion’s (1810-1866); and works by 20th century artists such as Deborah Willis, Charly Palmer, Malaika Favorite, Lewis Watts, Radcliffe Bailey, Bradley McCallum, Jacqueline Tarry, Willie Birch, Luis Cruz Azaceta, and New Orleans native and currently Hartford area-based artist, Donald Boudreaux.

From New Orleans' earliest days, the work of Black artisans made the city a colonial prize and distinguished it from other ports. A Sunday morning walk through the market in New Orleans in the 1800s would feature the vibrant presence of Black women vendors shouting the praises of their food. Since then, the city’s jazz legacy, culinary achievements, architecture, art, and distinct Creole culture, have made New Orleans a continually fascinating destination for visitors and a city that continues to insist upon the relevance of arts and culture. Five years after the horrific hurricane hit, the arts remain an essential aspect of New Orleans and central to its post-Katrina renewal effort.

An on-line gallery guide for the exhibition will be available at www.amsitadartandculture.org. An audio guide via cell phone will accompany the exhibition. Major support for this exhibition is provided by the J. Walton Bissell Foundation. Additional support for this is made possible jointly through contributors to the United Arts Campaign and the United Way Community Campaign. Educational materials and programs are sponsored by the GE Foundation. The Amistad’s Center’s general operations are supported by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism.